This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Uninterruptible power supply systems, such as those used for data centers and telecommunication systems, often utilize batteries as the source of back-up power, which will be referred to herein as a battery bank. Each battery bank is typically has multiple cells or multicell modules connected in series to provide the requisite voltage, commonly referred to as a battery string. The term “cell” or “battery cell” will be used herein to refer to both individual cells and multicell modules (sometimes term “monoblocs”) of a battery string unless the context dictates otherwise. In should be understood that each battery cell in a battery string may itself include multiple electrochemical cells, such as when lead-acid batteries are used as the battery cells in a battery string. The individual battery cells adjacent to each other in a section of a battery string are connected to each other by a conductive connector, such as a copper bus bar, strap, cable or the like. This connector is commonly referred to as an intercell or intercell connector. Adjacent sections of a battery string are connected to each other by a longer conductive connector, such as a cable or group of cables (that are longer than cables used for intercell connectors), referred to as an intertier or intertier connector. The lead-acid batteries typically used for the battery cells have a capacity in the range of 25-4000 amp-hours.
Battery monitors are often used to monitor the battery banks in UPS systems. Currently, tab washers are used to attach the battery monitoring sense leads to the battery cell terminals. A tab washer is a washer that has a tab to which a connector of a battery monitoring lead can attach. Installing a tab washer on a battery terminal of a battery cell that is in service, such as a battery cell in a battery string of a battery bank back-up for a UPS, takes a significant amount of time. Each battery cell connection (such as the connection of each battery cell terminal to the associated intercell connector) must be disassembled, the tab washer installed, and the battery cell connection reassembled. Since large count battery strings may have 240 battery cells per battery string, and a battery bank back-up such as for UPS or telecommunication system can have multiple battery strings, it can be appreciated that installing all the tab washers requires a significant amount of time.